Sanctification - involves more than a mere
moral reformation of character, brought about by the power of the
truth: it is the work of the Holy Spirit bringing the whole
nature more and more under the influences of the new gracious
principles implanted in the soul in regeneration. In other words,
sanctification is the carrying on to perfection the work begun in
regeneration, and it extends to the whole man (Romans 6:13; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Colossians 3:10; 1 John 4:7; 1 Corinthians 6:19). It is the
special office of the Holy Spirit in the plan of redemption to
carry on this work (1 Corinthians 6:11;
2 Thessalonians 2:13). Faith is
instrumental in securing sanctification, inasmuch as it (1)
secures union to Christ (Galatians
2:20), and (2) brings the believer into living contact with
the truth, whereby he is led to yield obedience "to the
commands, trembling at the threatenings, and embracing the
promises of God for this life and that which is to come."

Perfect sanctification is not attainable in
this life (1 Kings 8:46; Proverbs 20:9; Ecclesiastes 7:20; James 3:2; 1
John 1:8). See Paul's account of himself in Romans 7:14-25; Philipians 3:12-14; and 1 Timothy 1:15; also the confessions
of David (Psalms 19:12-13), of Job
(42:5, 6), and of Daniel (9:3-20). "The more holy a man
is, the more humble, self-renouncing, self-abhorring, and the
more sensitive to every sin he becomes, and the more closely he
clings to Christ. The moral imperfections which cling to him he
feels to be sins, which he laments and strives to overcome.
Believers find that their life is a constant warfare, and they
need to take the kingdom of heaven by storm, and watch while they
pray. They are always subject to the constant chastisement of
their Father's loving hand, which can only be designed to correct
their imperfections and to confirm their graces. And it has been
notoriously the fact that the best Christians have been those who
have been the least prone to claim the attainment of perfection
for themselves." (Hodge's Outlines).

Related Pages

References

and do not
go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments
of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive
from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness
to God. (Romans 6:13)

For God,
who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the
One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. (2
Corinthians 4:6)

and have
put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge
according to the image of the One who created him. (Colossians
3:10)

Beloved,
let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who
loves is born of God and knows God. (1 John 4:7)

Or do you
not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in
you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? (1
Corinthians 6:19)

And such
were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified,
but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and
in the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11)

But we
should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the
Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation
through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. (2
Thessalonians 2:13)

"I
have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live,
but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the
flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and
delivered Himself up for me." (Galatians 2:20)

"When they sin against Thee (for there is no man who does
not sin) and Thou art angry with them and dost deliver them to an
enemy, so that they take them away captive to the land of the
enemy, far off or near;" (1 Kings 8:46)

Who can
say, "I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin?"
(Proverbs 20:9)

Indeed,
there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good
and who never sins. (Ecclesiastes 7:20)

For we
all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he
says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.
(James 3:2)

If we
say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the
truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8)

For we
know that the Law is spiritual; but I am of flesh, sold into
bondage to sin. For that which I am doing, I do not understand;
for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing
the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not wish
to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that it is good. So now,
no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which indwells me. For I
know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for
the wishing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.
For the good that I wish, I do not do; but I practice the very
evil that I do not wish. But if I am doing the very thing I do
not wish, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells
in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the
one who wishes to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of
God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of
my body, waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a
prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man
that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the
one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on
the other, with my flesh the law of sin. (Romans 7:14-25)

Not that
I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I
press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I
was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard
myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do:
forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies
ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward
call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philipians 3:12-14)

It is a
trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am
foremost of all. (1 Timothy 1:15)

Who can
discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. Also keep back
Thy servant from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me;
Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be acquitted of great
transgression. (Psalm 19:12-13)

"I
have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees
Thee; Therefore I retract, And I repent in dust and ashes."
(Job 42:5, 6)

So I
gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. And I prayed
to the LORD my God and confessed and said, "Alas, O Lord,
the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and
lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments,
we have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly, and rebelled,
even turning aside from Thy commandments and ordinances.
"Moreover, we have not listened to Thy servants the
prophets, who spoke in Thy name to our kings, our princes, our
fathers, and all the people of the land. (Daniel 9:3-6)

Indeed,
there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good
and who never sins. (Ecclesiastes 7:20 )

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